


Tulio Returns

by Foxtrotbeastbot



Series: Cop and Baker [11]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-08-27 21:45:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16710616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxtrotbeastbot/pseuds/Foxtrotbeastbot
Summary: The cat who took Felicity's leg returns to offer an apology.





	Tulio Returns

The Brush Family Bakery was jumping. With fall just around the corner, Felicity had rolled out several new pumpkin, apple and carrot based treats, as well as various nut based goods for her rodent customers.

“There you are.” Felicity smiled at a harried looking rabbit mother with several kits hanging off her apron. “Two dozen carrot and leek muffins. Come back soon and have a great day! And what can I get you today sir?” In her hurried state, Felicity didn’t notice the shining black pelt of her current customer.

“A maple scone, please.” Felicity’s ears stood straight up as recognition dawned on her. Shivering, she looked up at the tall jaguar before her, her breathing quickening. Tulio held up his clawless paws. He was thinner than when Felicity had last seen him. His clothes were patched and his eyes were drawn and sad.

“I’m not here to cause trouble, I swear! I just want a scone...and to talk.” He said quietly.

“I...I have nothing to say to you.” Felicity murmured, her voice shaking as badly as her paws as she plucked a scone from the display case.

“Miss Brush, please! I just want to talk.”

“Well I don’t! Please, just pay for your scone and leave.” Bagging the scone forcefully, she thrust it at the cat, holding out her other paw for the payment. Tulio sighed and dug in his pocket, pulling out a pawful of change. Felicity’s ears twitched as he blushed.

“Sorry, change is all I have right now.” Mumbled Tulio. “Rough month, y’know?” He counted out two dollars, dropping it into Felicity’s paw. The change was covered in dust, like it had been plucked off the street and dug out of couch cushions. This was probably all the panther had to his name since she’d cost him his job at the diner. Remembering her own days of hardship and hunger, the vixen screwed her eyes shut and handed the change back.

“Keep it. I can’t talk right now, but just...go sit down and we’ll talk later.”

Later turned out to be several hours later, after closing time. As the last customers trickled out, Felicity flipped the sign at the door to CLOSED. Steeling herself, she looked at Tulio.

“Okay, you said you want to talk? Talk. But make it fast. I have cleaning to do and then I need to start dinner for my family.” Tulio nodded, taking a deep breath before blurting out

“I want to make up for what I did to you. Prison won’t pay back everything you lost because of me, and I can’t afford to pay you back with cash. All I have is my paws and muscle to work with. Look, running this place alone can’t be easy with four kids, right? Let me help! I don’t care what it is; cleaning, grunt work, the worst jobs you hate doing, let me do it! You don’t even have to pay me.”

“And have the law breathing down my pelt for having an unpaid ex-con working here?”Felicity scoffed. “They’d shut me down in a week for it. Besides, I can’t bring you on anyway, I can’t afford...” She paused suddenly. No, that wasn’t true; with all the money earned from her more wealthy customers and with the holidays coming up, she could afford to hire some part time help. Besides that, she had noticed that running the bakery alone was getting harder and harder. Danny was only 14, too young to have a part time job. Elise was so busy with college applications; she had no time to help out, even on weekends. But could she hire the jaguar that had crippled her for life? Her mind racing, she looked at Tulio.

The eyes that had once looked at her with such hate and loathing were tired and worn down. Whatever had happened to him in the Zoo had broken the proud young teenager from a decade ago into a remorseful man. There was no disdain for others in his voice or posture; it had all turned inward, attacking himself with virulent rage for the lives he had ruined. This was a young man truly trying to repent for massive mistakes. The vixen sighed and rubbed her forehead wearily.

“I wouldn’t be able to pay you anything but minimum wage. The hours wouldn’t be top notch either. You’d probably have to find another part time job if you wanted to make a living wage.” She said at last. Tulio nodded, clenching his fists.

“I don’t care. If it’ll make it easier on you, I’ll do it.” A small spark returned to his eyes; one of determination. In spite of her misgivings, Felicity allowed herself a small smile.

“Come in tomorrow morning at 6:30 and I’ll start training you. You’re not allergic to nuts or flour, right?”

“No ma’am.”

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to start my cleanup and prep for tomorrow.” Felicity stood slowly, Tulio doing likewise.

“Um, can I help?” he asked. “I did cleaning at the diner all the time. Think of it as a little extra training. Then you’ll have more time to make dinner for your kids.” Felicity thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Fine. Come on then, through here.” She led him through the swinging door to the kitchen. “You’re lucky. I already took everything apart. Go ahead and start washing. I’ll show you how to put it all back together when you’re done. I don’t want to catch even a speck of dough or flour on this stuff, clear?”

“Yes Miss Brush.”

For such a hurried start, Felicity noticed that having Tulio around did make a difference. With him washing up, she had time to count and balance her till and do the rest of her books for the day far ahead of schedule. She even got a start on the paperwork to hire him. Together they reassembled the equipment, Felicity explaining how each machine fit together.

“Nice work.” She said with a nod as they looked over the kitchen. “And you wiped down the counters and everything!” Tulio flashed a nervous smile.

“Momma! We’re home!” The back door that led from the kitchen to the back alley opened and Felicity’s children trooped in. “We grabbed Will and Ellie from Gran’s for you- Hey, who’s he?” The young rhino stopped short, throwing out an arm to protect his sisters while Elise held Will tighter and glared at Tulio. Felicity stepped forward, her paws raised reassuringly.

“Relax kids, he’s not dangerous. This is Tulio, my new employee. I hired him today to help out around the bakery.”

“I said I’d help out. I’m almost 16.” Danny scowled, his eyes locked onto the jaguar.

“Not for two more years you’re not. Besides, I told you I want you to focus on school and your boxing practice.” Replied Felicity sternly. “Now go upstairs and start your homework. I’ll come make dinner in a little while.”

“I will make dinner Mother. Come Danny, Ellie.” Elise gave Tulio an appraising sort of look before tapping Ellie gently on the shoulder and leading her through the kitchen to the side door that led to the apartment and basement stairs. Danny’s eyes narrowed.

“Lemme make this plain _kitty_.” He spat. “I know who you are. My big brother told me about you and I don’t trust you one bit. If you try anything weird with my momma, you’re gonna wish you were back in the Zoo.”

“Daniel!” gasped Felicity.

“Understood.” Tulio nodded, his ears laying flat. “Believe me, the last thing I want is to cause trouble.”

Danny didn’t reply, merely glaring at Tulio before stomping down into the basement. Within moments, the sounds of angry rock music drifted up the stairs, accompanied by solid thuds of fists on leather. Felicity sighed, rubbing her forehead. Perhaps this whole debacle would wind up being more trouble than it was worth....

-

Two weeks later, Felicity found herself eating her words. Tulio had proved to be a model worker; manning the till, cleaning, prepping and even carrying up massive ingredient bags from the basement that served as a storage room and Danny’s boxing gym. He refused to use the dumbwaiter that Felicity had always used (Her leg had never been able to handle heavy loads up the stairs) preferring instead to haul up the bags of flour, sugar and salt himself. He seemed to be everywhere at once! Even Bogo, who had a similar attitude towards the cat as Danny, admitted that with Tulio’s help, Felicity seemed much less stressed.

“Hot tray, coming through!” he called one afternoon, dodging behind Felicity as she worked the front counter. The pan of cinnamon rolls in his mittened paws wafted its aromatic steam through the bakery, enticing customers to savor the smell while he slid the buns into the display shelf.

“Thanks Tulio.” Felicity replied. “How about those clover rolls?”

“Next pan out boss. Two minutes tops.”

“Got it.”

Felicity didn’t try to fight down her smile as she bagged up a tiny loaf of nutbread for the mouse on the counter. She and Tulio made a pretty good team after all.


End file.
